Articles

Lifestyle changes can reduce the risk of diabetes

EHS Team A recent article in the Lancet journal (Lancet 2006; 368: 1673-1679) showed strong evidence that lifestyle changes, for an extended period of time, can significantly reduce the risk of developing diabetes. This benefit lasted years beyond the intervention period.

The lifestyle changes involved the ‘simple’ efforts of increased exercise, improved diet by reducing calories and fat, targeted weight loss and increasing fiber. Of all these, obtaining a 5% weight loss was correlated with the greatest reduction in diabetes; but success in any of these areas independently reduced the risk. Overall, lifestyle changes reduced the risk of diabetes by 43% after 7 years!

EHS Corporate Care will provide counseling, guidance and referrals to help you target the same areas. We strongly encourage you to consider these changes yourself, thereby improving your short term health and reducing your long term risks of diabetes and other disorders.

Overweight or obese men (n = 172) and women (n = 350) with impaired glucose tolerance at baseline (pre-diabetes) were randomized to an intervention or a control group. Persons in the intervention arm received individualized counseling to achieve the following lifestyle intervention treatment goals:

At least 5% weight loss

Less than 30% of daily energy intake from fat

Less than 10% of daily energy intake from saturated fat

At least 15 g of fiber per 1000 kcal

At least 30 minutes of moderately intense physical activity per day

Success in meeting these goals was quantified using a 0-5 scoring system, with a score of 5 indicating achievement of all 5 goals. The primary endpoint, new-onset type 2 diabetes incidence, was assessed after a median follow-up of 7 years, which included a median of 4 years of active treatment plus 3 years of post-intervention follow-up.

Key findings

Lifestyle intervention reduced the risk of new-onset diabetes by 43% (P = 0.0001) by the end of the 7-year study period; 75 and 110 patients were newly diagnosed with diabetes in the intervention and control group, respectively.

Participants in the lifestyle intervention group more frequently achieved at least 4 goals compared with those in the control group (14% vs 6%, respectively; P < 0.001).